CAMDEN FAIRVIEW

Wellness Policy

5.29 WELLNESS POLICY

The health and physical well-being of our students directly affects their ability to learn. Childhood obesity increases the incidence of adult diseases occurring in children and adolescents such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. The increased risk carries forward into their adulthood. Research indicates that a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent obesity and the diseases resulting from it. It is understood that the eating habits and exercise patterns of students cannot be magically changed overnight, but at the same time, the Board of Directors believes it is necessary to strive to create a culture in our schools that consistently promotes good nutrition and physical activity.

The problem of obesity and inactivity is a public health issue. The Board of Directors is keenly aware that it has taken years for this problem to reach its present level and will similarly take years to correct. The responsibility for addressing the problem lies not only with the schools and the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), but with the community and its residents, organizations and agencies. Therefore, the District shall enlist the support of the larger community to find solutions which improve the health and physical activity of our students.

Goals

In its efforts to improve the school nutrition environment, promote student health, and reduce childhood obesity, the District will adhere to the ArkansasADE Rules Governing Nutrition and Physical Activity Standards in Arkansas Public Schoolsand Body Mass Index for Age Assessment Protocols. To promote nutrition, physical activity, and other school based activities that will improve student wellness, the District has established the following goals. 1

Appoint a district school health coordinator (designated district official) who shall be responsible for ensuring that each school fulfills the requirements of this policy;2

Implement a grade appropriate nutrition education program that will develop an awareness of and appreciation for nutrition and physical activity throughout the curriculum;

Provide students with ample time to eat their meals in pleasant cafeteria and dining areas;

Establish no more than nine (9) school wide events that permit exceptions to the food and beverage limitations established by Rule. The schedule of the events shall be by school, approved by the principal, and shall be part of the annual school calendar;3

Abide by the current allowable food and beverage portion standards;

Meet or exceed the more stringent of Arkansas’ or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Standards for reimbursable meals and a la’ carte foods served in the cafeteria;4

Restrict access to vended foods, competitive foods, and foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV as required by law and Rule;

Conform new and/or renewed vending contracts to the content restrictions contained in the Rules and reduce district dependence on profits from the sale of FMNVcompetitive foods.

Provide professional development to all district staff on the topics of nutrition and/or physical activity;5

Utilize the School Health Index available from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to assess how well the district is doing at implementing this wellness policy and at promoting a healthy environment for its students;

Advisory Committee

To enhance the district’s efforts to improve the health of our students, a School Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Committee (SNPAAC) shall be formed. It shall be structured in a way that ensures age-appropriate recommendations are made that correlate to our district’s grade configurations.6The SNPAAC shall have the powers and responsibilities delegated to it by statute and Rule and are incorporated into this policy by reference.7 The overarching goal of the committee shall be to promote student wellness by monitoring how well the district is doing at implementing this policy. The SNPAAC shall use modules 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 of the CDC’s School Health Index as a basis for annually assessing each school’s progress toward meeting the requirements of this policy. The results of the annual assessment shall be included in each school’s ACSIP, provided to each school’s principal, and reported to the board. Goals and objectives for nutrition and physical activity shall also be included in the ACSIP.

Parents, students, the District's teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the District School Board of Directors, the District's school administrators, members of the community, and representatives of the District's school food authorityMembers of the District’s Board of Directors, school administrators, school nutrition personnel, teacher organizations, parents, students, professional groups (such as nurses), and community members shall be included in the development, implementation, and periodic review of the District's wellness policy to the extent interested persons from each group desire to be included.8

The SNPAAC shall provide recommendations to the school district concerning menus and other foods sold in the school cafeteria. Such recommendations shall be based, at least in part, on the information the Committee receives from the District on the requirements and standards of the National School Lunch Program and

information and from menus for the National School Lunch Program and other food sold in the school cafeteria on a quarterly basis.9